Author's note: the madhatter will be introduced in the next chapter, then dun dun dun MIRANA. Im more excited to type out Mirana scenes. I have them written down, before I type. And it just seems to flow more easier when its Mirana than other parts of the story.

Disclaimer: still not the owner of Alice in Wonderland

Will you be late to the Tea Party?

Stepping out of the mushroom stem, the crunch of their footfalls on dried leaves sounded louder than when they entered. The white rabbit, hopped ahead of them with ears perked up.

"Curious."

"What is?" snipped Mally.

"The garrulous hibbernicums aren't singing…" The white rabbit's foot thumped nervously. "We should head to the tea party; Tarrant will know what to do. The red knights will be waiting next to the In-between door since the alarm went off. Make pace, wouldn't want them to catch another Alice…"

Their pace hastened through the muted forest, yet the white rabbit abruptly stopped. His eyes widened and body tensed, frantically turning to face the group he lurched forward his mouth open.

"RUN! RUN NOW: Get her to –"a siren punctured the last fragment of the sentence. The sound came from all the directions, confusing them in which way to flee.

Something large was launching itself towards their direction, splintering wood and toppling trees in its wake.

The norepinephrine and epinephrine were released throughout Alice's body pushing past her fatigue. Past the branches that whipped her face and clawed at her clothes, the burst gave her enough distance and she began to feel conscious of her body. Her legs ached. Feeling dizzy Alice hunched over a tree to gulp in air: realizing that she was alone.

Crunching of leaves and feet pattering caught her attention to the twins running near the clearing, just as she was about to step away from the tree to call out to them. A terrifying skeleton-like bird swooped down and pierced their shoulders picking them up with her talons.

Clamping a hand over her mouth, she started to whisper "wake up, Alice. Come on. Wake up, this is just a dream. Come on."

Turning away, she was faced with a hybrid beast. Dropping her hand, she looked up at him defiantly. In her mind she resolved that this was only a dream, her body followed.

The giant beast that had been stalking them had snuffed her scent was ready to pounce …was suddenly taken back with the fragile human that stood before him. He was accustomed to his unfortunate prey taking flight in fear, to be met with violence, or even the few bold and gallant that would stand before him would piss it away as soon as he bared teeth.

This one looked him in the eyes with no animosity, but with clarity and resolve.

"WOT ARE YOU DOING! YOU STUPID GIRL!" a page dormouse cried swinging on a vine with a needle sharp sword that could poke –

An

eye

out.

The furry beast clutched his empty eye socket, swiping the area around and roaring in blinding pain that was overtaking his control and senses.

"Alice, go! I'll buy you some time. Go to the tea party!" Mally the dormouse squeaked while scurrying above the tree branches with an extra eye in her possession and hidden pellet bombs.

Ignoring the suggestion, Alice surveyed the area for something to cover the up the eye socket, spotting a dried coconut shaped nut. She took the object and tested its properties, she threw it against the rocks to break it open. Then hurried back to inspect the mythical beast.

"I know it's hard, but please try to hold still. Focus on your breathing. Even though you're a figment of my imagination, you had time to attack me, but stopped." Alice stated puzzled.

The beast's body was going through shock from having his eye suddenly wrenched from him, couldn't even fathom a potential foe walking towards him. He whimpered and jerked away when he felt a small hand touch his head.

His instincts had him weakly swipe at the offending creature. Hearing skin rip and feeling a burning sensation Alice let out a small scream, reminding her even in this state of unconscious she can still feel pain.

Continuing on, Alice managed to bandage his eye. Being in close proximity of the beast, she noticed old and fresh angry cuts seen through his fur to the skin.

Clanking of metal and the smell of sulfur alerted her that she was still in a danger zone and was late to a tea party.